What was going on during those first six months? Was the future bright and shiny even when there was no impressive customer curve? When half the customers were just personal favors called in and new signups didn’t happen daily?

Or was it barely-controlled chaos, not able to sleep at 2:43am for worry about how to make payroll in seven months or whether the numbers would look good enough by next spring to raise another round? Unsure which products to double-down on and which to kill, and worried the wrong choice would tank the entire company? Staying bright and cheery on the outside for the press, customers, and even employees but with Damocles’ Sword hanging overhead?

Don’t write a social app. Don’t make it free. Don’t ever plan to get funding. Don’t give away shares in your business to anyone. Don’t feel compelled to take on a co-founder or partner. Don’t use bleeding edge tech for your business. Don’t bother with incubators. Don’t surround yourself with other entrepreneurs all day long. Don’t think you need constant input from advisors or mentors. Do your own thing, be an individual, create real value. Find a problem that you yourself have and that you would be prepared to pay for and don’t accidentally persuade yourself that you have a fictitious problem – find a real one that no one else is solving that that is costing you money until it is solved.